On August 15 at 6 pm, concert entitled European Virtuosos will take place in Tallinn Town Hall. Violin player Arvo Leibur and pianist Mati Mikalai will perform pieces by Eugène Ysaÿe, Niccolò Paganini, Arcangelo Corelli, Sergei Rachmaninov. In addition, Arvo Leibur will perform Estonian composer Mati Kuulberg’s Sonata No. 4 for Solo Violin ("Memoria de los Incas").
Arvo Leibur graduated from Tallinn Music High School with Jüri Gerretz. In 1982-1989, he studied at Moscow Conservatory with Irina Botchkova. Leibur has also been a private student of Galina Barinova and Igor Bezrodnyi. At the present time, Arvo Leibur is the concert master of Estonian National Symphony Orchestra and Holland Symfonia. His busy concert schedule as soloist, ensemble player and orchestral musician has taken him to many European countries. His numerous recordings also include the album of violin pieces by Eduard Tubin for BIS and CD European Virtuosos with Mati Mikalai (2008).
Mati Mikalai is above all valued as an excellent ensemble partner for many musicians, most acknowledged is the piano duo with Kai Ratassepp. He is also a capable solo performer, in addition to classical repertoire in sphere of contemporary music. Mikalai graduated from Tallinn Music High School in 1990 with Reet Vanaselja, Lembit Orgse and Bruno Lukk. In 1995, he graduated from the Estonian Academy of Music with Bruno Lukk, Ivo Sillamaa and Lauri Väinmaa. In 2002, Mati Mikalai acquired Master’s Degree with Peep Lassmann and started PhD studies. Mati Mikalai has performed as a soloist, chamber musician and with orchestras in many Estonian towns, additionally in several venues in Europe, for example in Finland, Sweden, Germany, France, Italy and Russia. Since 1997, Mati Mikalai is a piano teacher in Tallinn Music High School and since 2000 in the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre.
Laura Vaikma